AN ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR CLASSROOM USE WITH THE POORLY MOTIVATED STUDENT. FINAL REPORT.

SCHWITZGEBEL, ROBERT

AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM OF SMALL TRANSCEIVER UNITS, PACKAGED IN A BELT WORN BY STUDENTS IN CLASS, WAS DESIGNED TO TRANSMIT LIGHT SIGNALS AND VIBRA-TACTILE CODED MESSAGES BETWEEN STUDENTS AND A COUNSELOR AT A CLINIC SCHOOL. FOUR MALE ADOLESCENTS SELECTED FOR LOW MOTIVATION, AGGRESSIVE CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR, AND HIGH PEER-GROUP RATING REPORTED THEIR TIME SPENT ON ASSIGNMENTS, TIME SPENT IDLE, FREQUENCY OF HOSTILE STATEMENTS REGARDING ACADEMIC WORK, AND FREQUENCY OF AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR TOWARD OTHER STUDENTS. CONCURRENT OBSERVATION VIA ONE-WAY MIRROR CHECKED THESE REPORTS. A VARIABLE INTERVAL-VARIABLE RATIO CONTINGENT REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULE WAS USED FOR EACH TYPE OF CRITERION BEHAVIOR. FREQUENCY OF REPORTED BEHAVIOR ON ALL CRITERIA WAS ABOVE PREVIOUSLY OBSERVED NORMS, REGARDLESS OF REINFORCEMENT OR EXTINCTION, SO THE ONLY CONCLUSIONS IN THIS EXPLORATORY STUDY WERE--BELTS WERE MECHANICALLY EFFICIENT (ALTHOUGH SYSTEM RELIABILITY WAS LOW) AND WERE WELL ACCEPTED BY SUBJECTS, AND THE CODE WAS TOO COMPLEX. (LH)